Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hermel Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hermel

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $900 in Hermel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,412 in Hermel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,923 in Hermel.

Living in Medellin is roughly 11% more expensive than in Hermel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Hermel 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$10.64 LBP 951.9K

-44.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$59.4 LBP 5.3M

-44.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$8.01 LBP 717.1K

-7.24%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$3.40 LBP 304.3K

-51.47%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,514

$1.65 LBP 147.9K

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.87 LBP 77.6K

-10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$3.53 LBP 316.0K

-51.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$5.02 LBP 449.5K

-36.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.77 LBP 158.5K

-37.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$0.85 LBP 76.3K

48.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.84 LBP 164.5K

-25.00%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$3.20 LBP 286.6K

-31.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$11.38 LBP 1.0M

-60.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$9.70 LBP 868.0K

-40.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$11.25 LBP 1.0M

-20.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$1.73 LBP 154.7K

34.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.46 LBP 130.9K

-27.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.15 LBP 103.2K

32.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.04 LBP 93.0K

30.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.01 LBP 90.8K

11.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.04 LBP 93.2K

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.81 LBP 72.5K

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.52 LBP 46.9K

73.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$2.54 LBP 227.0K

-12.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$9.98 LBP 893.3K

21.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.24 LBP 110.8K

-4.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.21 LBP 197.8K

12.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$4.96 LBP 444.3K

-71.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$1.29 LBP 115.0K

51.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$19.74 LBP 1.8M

-60.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$0.95 LBP 84.7K

4.21%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$35.5K LBP 3.2B

-50.47%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$27.4K LBP 2.5B

-2.23%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$216 LBP 19.3M

-61.49%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$37.78 LBP 3.4M

-74.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$37.18 LBP 3.3M

-36.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$8.13 LBP 727.3K

-51.41%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$316 COP 1.0M

$303 LBP 27.1M

4.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$4,488 LBP 401.7M

33.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$71.8 LBP 6.4M

-16.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$44.89 LBP 4.0M

-29.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$125 LBP 11.2M

-18.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$93.3 LBP 8.3M

15.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.16

20.34%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Hermel: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $59.0 in Hermel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $235 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Hermel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hermel wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hermel the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $1,350 in Hermel to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $900 in Hermel – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $900 in Hermel versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hermel but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Hermel the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Hermel delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $900 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Hermel hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Hermel gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.